Powell slips Spurs into freefall

Presumably the good news for Spurs is that they did not lose 4-0. After three successive defeats by that humiliating scoreline, going down by a single goal represents progress of sorts. In reality, though, Glenn Hoddle's side are not so much in a trough as in the Grand Canyon. A season that began with so much swashbuckling promise is petering out into familiar anti-climax. A rare goal by Chris Powell - in front of the England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson - allied to some crucial saves by Dean Kiely and the help of the Charlton crossbar was enough to pinch the win and deepen Tottenham's gloom. After the match Hoddle called for a radical re-think. "We've got to pick up some points," he said. "If that means not playing nice football then so be it." Charlton's manager Alan Curbishley, on the other hand, had plenty to celebrate: a victory in his 550th senior game in charge, his team's unbeaten run of London derbies extended to 12 league games and their elevation to seventh in the table. "Yes, I am surprised by our position," he admitted. "Before it started I thought it would be a difficult season for us. But the lads have been magnificent." For Charlton, modestly funded but rich in spirit, a position of seventh is success. Spurs' expectations are higher - of Europe, a dream now over for this season. But age has caught up with some of their players and a thin squad has struggled to cover for injuries. They were down to 16 fit players last night. Charlton had only 18 themselves but they battled hard, rode their luck and emerged with their first double of the season. And the bad news continues for Hoddle. He began without the injured Dean Richards and Teddy Sheringham and lost Les Ferdinand at half-time with an achilles problem. On top of that, later today Spurs' full-back Mauricio Taricco goes before an FA disci plinary hearing which could effectively ban him for the rest of the season. The Argentinian faces a possible eight-match suspension if found guilty of all charges including two sendings off - the latest against Chelsea last Wednesday- and an off-the-ball incident in the Worthington Cup semi-final second leg when he is alleged to have raised his hands to Chelsea's Mario Melchiot. Hoddle left him on the bench last night, presumably to give him some practice at watching from the sidelines. It only added to the makeshift feel about the Spurs side and it was not until the half-hour that they troubled Kiely, as the keeper produced an instinctive one-handed save to deny Ferdinand's header.Poyet also had a header cleared off the line just before half-time. Charlton were well-organised and committed in the tackle but rarely spectacular. They had created the odd chance. For instance, the former Spur Luke Young had forced Neil Sullivan to save with his legs after breaking through on the right. But Spurs provided the more frequent threat. In the space of three minutes just past the hour Kiely kept his side in the game, first tipping wide a close-range shot from Poyet who had been found by Tim Sherwood's peach of a pass. Then Kiely denied the Uruguayan with his legs after Poyet had cleverly chested down Steffen Iversen's cross and produced what he thought was a goalscoring shot.

Charlton were under the cosh. But, as is often the way, they suddenly nipped down the other end and scored. Graham Stuart crossed, Ledley King hesitated clearing the ball and Powell, on the ground, forced home off his thigh. It was his second goal for the club. His first came last season in the FA Cup - against Spurs. "I wish we played Spurs every week; I might add to my goal tally," he said. Tottenham pressed for an equaliser. Two minutes from time Poyet was denied again when Paul Konchesky nodded the Uruguayan's header on to the bar. But Charlton held on to extend their recent run to one defeat in six league games.